Visio 2013 - Linking text from a shape on page X to a shape on page Y

I have a string of text on page 1 "Global Network" which I would like to display on page 2
I create a text box or a shape on page 2 (both didn't work) and insert the following custom field inside of that shape/textbox.

The text I'm trying to link is from a "lightning bolt" i.e. comm link. However, I keep getting "Error in Formula" message.

The problem you are having is (yet another) embarrassing nitpick that occurs with Visio shape names.

You correctly identified your source shape as "comm-link.384", but using shape names in formula references only works on the same page, and at the same level of grouping. So, a sub-shape can't refer to its parent by name, only shapes at the same level.

When you can't use the name, then you use the sheet id. In this case, there's a 99% chance that your shape's name-id is "Sheet.384", since the dot-number bit is almost always the same as the shape's id. But use the Developer ribbon > Shape Name dialog just to be sure, checking what it says the ID is. (You could, for example, go and rename your shape "comm-link.3.14159" for some reason, then the dot-number would not be the same as the sheet id.

So now your formula changes to this:

=SHAPETEXT(Pages[Global Network]!Sheet.384!TheText)

One other tip, after you've set the linked text, you might lock it from being edited. Use the dialog under Developer > Shape Design > Protection to lock this down. Then only the source shape's text can be edited.

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